23rd Annual Energy Litigation Conference
Houston, Texas, USA
Norris Conference Centers - Houston/CityCentre
816 Town & Country Blvd., Suite 210
Houston, Texas 77024
Registrar: +1.972.244.3403
IEL: +1.972.244.3421
Fax: +1.972.244.3401
E-Mail: iel@cailaw.org
Overview
The 23rd edition of the Energy Litigation Conference will bring together some of the top in-house and private practice energy litigators to discuss new trends in energy litigation, recent case law of importance to energy litigators, and ways to improve an energy litigation practice.
Conference Co-Chairs
Hicks Johnson PLLC
Houston, Texas
Jones Walker LLP
Houston, Texas
Lifetime Achievement in Energy Litigation Award Recipient
Arbitrator/Mediator
Retired Vice President, Board Member, Head of Legal
Shell USA, Inc.
Registration Fees
- $485 / $550 - Regular Registration Fee
- $395 / $460 - IEL Advisory Board Member
- $395 / $460 - IEL Supporting or Sustaining Member Employee
- $395 / $460 - IEL Young Energy Professional Member
- $75 - Full-time Professor
- $50 - Law Student
Schedule and Faculty
7:45 a.m. - Registration
8:35 – 8:45 a.m. - Welcome, Overview and Introductions
8:45 – 9:30 a.m. - Energy Law Case Update
This session will explore recent notable opinions from state and federal courts impacting legal issues in the energy industry.
- Eva Guzman, Wright Close & Barger, LLP, Houston, Texas
- Kelley Clark Morris, Wright Close & Barger, LLP, Houston, Texas
- Bradley W. Snead, Wright Close & Barger, LLP, Houston, Texas
9:30 – 10:15 a.m. - Regulatory Update – How Regulations are Affecting New and Existing Energy Projects Onshore and Offshore
Over the past year several new and amended federal regulations have been promulgated causing a ripple effect on the energy industry both onshore and offshore. This panel will discuss a sampling of these regulations including topics such as: National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reform, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) strengthened financial assurance requirements for offshore lessees due to decommissioning obligations, and the Inflation Reduction Act’s federal onshore and offshore lease sale requirements.
Moderator: Logan E. Johnson, Hicks Johnson PLLC, Houston, Texas
Panelists:
- Mark McDaniel, Senior Counsel, Devon Energy, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Mike Raab, Managing Counsel, EOG Resources, Inc., Houston, Texas
- Jennifer Stockel, Lead Legal Counsel, Equinor, Houston, Texas
10:15 – 10:45 a.m. - BREAK
10:45 – 11:30 a.m. - Above and Below: Legal Disputes Between Surface and Mineral Owners
This session will explore the legal landscape surrounding disputes between surface owners and mineral rights holders. Legal experts will discuss key issues such as land use conflicts, access rights, compensation, and environmental impacts. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the legal frameworks governing these disputes.
Moderator: Mark W. Hanna, Scott Douglass & McConnico LLP, Austin, Texas
Paenlists:
- Steven Lord, Senior Counsel, Marathon Oil, Houston, Texas
- Neal Nobles, Senior Counsel, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Spring, Texas
- Nicole Tomich Singer, Vice President of Land & General Counsel, Santo Petroleum LLC, Houston, Texas
11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. - New Tech, Old Problems: Construction Litigation Issues on Renewable Projects
The panel will discuss common construction litigation issues on renewable energy projects, looking at litigation issues from pre-construction through post-construction phases of projects. The panel will consider compliance issues, supply-chain matters, tariffs, post-construction warranty claims, design and engineering disputes, damages and limitation of liability provisions, liquidated damages, performance guarantees, and dispute resolution provisions.
- Garrett A. Gibson, Jones Day, Houston, Texas
- Tan Pham, Managing Counsel – Litigation, TotalEnergies American Services, Inc., Houston, Texas
- Carter Williams, Chief Litigation Counsel, Equinor, Houston, Texas
12:15 – 1:30 p.m. - Lunch: Lifetime Achievement in Energy Litigation Award Presentation and Speech
Award Recipient
James Cowan
Arbitrator/Mediator
Retired Vice President, Board Member, Head of Legal
Shell USA, Inc.
1:30 – 1:45 p.m. - BREAK
1:45 – 2:45 p.m. - What’s New with Texas Courts?
This panel discussion will focus on notable arbitration decisions from the Texas Supreme Court, the latest trends in interlocutory appeals and mandamus relief, and provide an overview of the newly established Business Courts and the Fifteenth Court of Appeals. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how these changes may impact litigation strategies and court proceedings in Texas.
Moderator: Quentin L. Smith, Vinson & Elkins LLP, Houston, Texas
Panelists:
- Gregg Costa, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, Houston, Texas
- Hon. April Farris, Fifteenth Court of Appeals of Texas, Austin, Texas
- Hon. Veronica Rivas-Molloy, Court of Appeals for the First District of Texas, Houston, Texas
2:45 – 3:30 p.m. - Generative AI: What Lawyers Need to Know to Not Fall Behind
This panel discussion will examine the generative AI tools being used across companies and which ones are providing the most value, the results and take-aways of generative AI pilot programs, and the state of generative AI being used by law firms and how companies are managing the tools and processes being used by those firms.
Moderator: Nicole Soussan Caplan, Reed Smith LLP, Houston, Texas
Panelists:
- George Pawloski, Legal Operations Director, Legal Systems, Matter Management & Records, ConocoPhillips, Houston, Texas
- Michael Voutsinas, Chief of Staff and Managing Director, Legal Operations, Phillips 66, Houston, Texas
- Drew Ward, Senior Counsel - Legal Operations, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Spring, Texas
3:30 – 3:45 p.m. - BREAK
3:45 – 4:30 p.m. - Navigating Employment Law in the Energy Sector
This session will delve into the unique employment law challenges and opportunities within the energy industry. The panelists will explore key topics and the evolving landscape of employment law in the energy industry, including regulatory compliance, labor relations, workplace safety, and emerging trends.
Moderator: Sarah Morton, FordHarrison, Houston, Texas
Panelists:
- Ashley Frankson Hill, Lead Counsel – Litigation and Employment, Woodside Energy, Houston, Texas
- Karmyn McCloud, Senior Legal Counsel, Shell USA, Inc., Houston, Texas
- Latasha D. McDade, Supervising Counsel, Labor & Employment Law, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Spring, Texas
4:30 – 5:30 p.m. - Navigating Ethical Considerations in Litigation Finance (Ethics)
When navigated properly, litigation finance offers many benefits to clients and their counsel. But the stakes can be high and the market for funding opaque and difficult to navigate. And counsel, typically the primary recipients of funding proceeds, often face ethical conflicts when advising on litigation funding transactions. As third-party funding becomes increasingly prevalent in legal practice, it is more important than ever for practitioners to remain educated and conversant on the opportunities presented by legal finance, as well as common missteps, pitfalls, and ethics issues encountered with its use.
The program will cover:
- Overview of litigation finance and its growing role in the legal industry
- Ethical rules and guidelines relevant to litigation funding arrangements
- Potential conflicts of interest and how to address them
- Maintaining client confidentiality and attorney-client privilege
- Disclosure requirements and transparency considerations
- Ethical concerns related to case control and settlement decisions
- Best practices for ethically structuring litigation finance arrangements
- Wendie Childress, Managing Director and Counsel, Westfleet Advisors, Houston, Texas
- M. Imad Khan, Winston & Strawn LLP, Houston, Texas
5:30 – 6:30 p.m. - NETWORKING RECEPTION
Overnight Accommodations
The Moran CITYCENTRE
800 Sorella Ct, Houston, TX 77024
Hotel Direct: 713-429-1172
- Rate: $219.00+/night Standard 1 king room
- Rooms available on the night prior to conference: Wednesday, November 11, 2024
- Any additional nights may be available at the hotel's discretion and price offering.
Last Day to Book: Friday, October 11, 2024
MCLE Credit
Texas Course Number 174250056. This course has been approved for Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit by the State Bar of Texas Committee on MCLE in the amount of 6.5 credit hours, of which 1.0 credit hours will apply to ethics/professional responsibility credit.
IEL as registrar for the conference will directly apply for course accreditation in the following additional states: California, Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. Some of these states may not approve a program for credit hours before the program occurs. The program Approved credit hours will vary by jurisdiction and are subject to each jurisdiction’s approval and credit rounding rules.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Conference Notepads (Exclusive) - $5,000 - SOLD
- Name/Logo on notepads distributed to all attendees
- Recognition in all marketing, which will be sent to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders
- Company/firm logo on the Conference website, with link to company/firm website
- Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference program and Conference break slides
- Recognition from podium during the Conference
- 2 complimentary registrants at the Conference
- An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the Conference
Lanyard Sponsor (Exclusive) - $5,000 - SOLD
- Name on lanyards distributed at Conference
- Recognition in all marketing, which will be sent to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders
- Company/firm logo on the Conference website, with link to company/firm website
- Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference program and Conference break slides
- Recognition from the podium during the Conference
- 2 complimentary registrants at the Conference
- An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the Conference
Breakfast Sponsor (Exclusive) - $4,000 - SOLD
- Recognition in all marketing, which will be sent to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders
- Company/firm logo on the Conference website, with link to company/firm website
- Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference program and Conference break slides
- Recognition from the podium during the Conference
- Recognition via signage at the breakfast
- 2 complimentary registrants at the Conference
- An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the Conference
Morning Break Sponsor (Exclusive) - $4,000 - SOLD
- Recognition in all marketing, which will be sent to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders
- Company/firm logo on the Conference website, with link to company/firm website
- Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference program and Conference break slides
- Recognition from the podium during the Conference
- 2 complimentary registrants at the Conference
- An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the Conference
Afternoon Break Sponsor (Exclusive) - $4,000 - SOLD
- Recognition in all marketing, which will be sent to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders
- Company/firm logo on the Conference website, with link to company/firm website
- Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference program and Conference break slides
- Recognition from the podium during the Conference
- 2 complimentary registrants at the Conference
- An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the conference
Conference Materials Sponsor (Exclusive) $4,000 - SOLD
- Single page company/firm advertisement showing through back of packet containing Conference related material
- Recognition in all marketing, which will be sent to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders
- Company/firm logo on the Conference website, with link to company/firm website
- Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference program and Conference break slides
- Recognition from the podium during the Conference
- 2 complimentary registrants at the Conference
- An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the conference
Hosted Luncheon and Presentation of the IEL Lifetime Achievement in Energy Litigation Award - $3,000 each
Honoring James Cowan, Retired Head of Legal US and Associate General Counsel Litigation US & Canada, Shell USA, Inc.
- Recognition in all marketing, which will be sent to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders
- Company/firm logo on the Conference website, with link to company/firm website
- Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference program and Conference break slides
- Recognition at the luncheon
- 1 complimentary registrant at the Conference
- An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the conference
Charging Station (Exclusive) - $3,000 - SOLD
- Signage Recognizing Sponsor at charging stations
- Recognition in all marketing, which will be sent to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders
- Company/firm logo on the Conference website, with link to company/firm website
- Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference program and Conference break slides
- Recognition from the podium during the Conference
- 1 complimentary registrant at the Conference
- An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the conferences
Networking Reception - $2,500 each
- Recognition in all marketing, which will be sent to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders
- Company/firm logo on the Conference website, with link to company/firm website
- Company/firm logo prominently displayed in the Conference program and Conference break slides
- Recognition from the podium during the Conference
- Recognition on signage at the reception
- 1 complimentary registrant at the Conference
- 2 complimentary guests at reception
- An opportunity to display company/firm materials at the conference
Exhibitor (Non-law Firms only) - $2,500 each
- Recognition in all marketing, which will be sent to several thousand interested counsel and business leaders
- Company logo on the Conference website, with link to company website
- Company logo prominently displayed in the Conference program and Conference break slides
- 1 complimentary registrant at the Conference
- Space to display company/firm materials at the conference.
For more information about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Lilly Hogarth, Sponsorship Director at lhogarth@cailaw.org or +1.972.244.3424.
Other Information
Press Policy
All IEL conferences are held under the Chatham House Rule. Participants, including journalists, are free to use any information received, but comments may not be attributed to any speaker identifi ed by name or affiliation.
Photo/Audio/Video Release
Registration for or attendance at this event acknowledges consent to be recorded or photographed. We reserve the right to use any photograph/video taken at our events, without the expressed written permission of those included within the photograph/video. We may use the photograph/video in publications or other media material produced, used or contracted including but not limited to: brochures, invitations, books, newspapers, magazines, television, websites, annual reports, newsletters, etc. To ensure the privacy of individuals, images will not be identified using full names or personal identifying information without written approval from the photographed subject
Visa Information
If you require a letter of invitation to obtain a visa for this conference, payment of the registration fee must first be made. If you apply and do not receive a visa, please send us a copy of the rejection letter from the consulate, and we will cancel your registration and issue a refund. Please email iel@cailaw.org for more details.
Nondiscriminatory Policy
The Center for American and International Law does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected status in educational activities, scholarship programs or admissions.
Privacy Policy
We do not sell or rent information to any outside parties. By providing your information, you will receive postal and electronic communications from the Institute for Energy Law (IEL) of The Center for American and International Law (CAIL) in accordance with CAIL's Privacy Policy. If we co-sponsor a program with another organization, information may be shared between the parties. All such co-sponsors will be identified on the event details and registration page. At any point, you can opt-out or unsubscribe by selecting either link at the bottom of each email or call us at 972.244.3400.
